U.S. Navy: Cargo ship fires shots in Persian Gulf

[Raineyrocks]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/25/iran.shots/index.html?iref=24hours

From Jamie McIntyre
CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S.-contracted cargo ship fired warning shots in the Persian Gulf at two small patrol boats believed to be from Iran, U.S. Navy officials said Friday.

The crew of the "Westward Venture," which was under contract to the U.S. government, reported it radioed a warning and fired flares before resorting to warning shots Thursday, the officials said.

The cargo vessel was en route to Kuwait and about 50 miles from the Iranian coast, according the reports.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf have been high this year. The United States and Iran, which have no diplomatic relations and blame each other for problems in Iraq, have had at least two other tense incidents in the gulf since January.

Earlier this month, the U.S. military reported that three small Iranian boats approached a U.S. patrol craft in a "taunting manner." Two of the boats turned away, but one came within 200 yards of the USS Typhoon, prompting a crew member to fire a warning flare.

Through its state-run news agency, Iran denied reports of the April 10 incident, saying the U.S. media "tries to portray the Persian Gulf as a turbulent area in order to prepare the grounds for the permanent presence of U.S. forces in the region."

On January 6, five boats belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard "harassed and provoked" three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel leading in and out of the Persian Gulf, the U.S. military said.

Though the U.S. deemed the encounter "significant," an Iranian official told the Islamic Republic News Agency that it was not a serious incident. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

All About Iran • Iraq War • Persian Gulf

[Dylboz]

Gulf of Tonkin?

[Raineyrocks]

Gulf of Tonkin?

Who knows, looks like a set up to me.  I'm guessing that's what Gulf of Tonkin was, right?

[Dylboz]

Gulf of Tonkin?

Who knows, looks like a set up to me.  I'm guessing that's what Gulf of Tonkin was, right?

Google it. It has been acknowledged that it never really happened, but it was the incident that led to full scale American involvement in Viet Nam.

[J’raxis 270145]

Gulf of Tonkin?

Seems like a "throw shit at the wall, and see what sticks" approach. How many of these provocations have there been so far? Which one will finally stick?

[Raineyrocks]

Gulf of Tonkin?

Who knows, looks like a set up to me.  I'm guessing that's what Gulf of Tonkin was, right?

Google it. It has been acknowledged that it never really happened, but it was the incident that led to full scale American involvement in Viet Nam.

Your right, I felt lazy that's why I asked you what it was but I should have googled it for myself!